This post is going to be especially fun, because I am hosting a Writing Contest!
Why? Because if you visit here frequently, you already know how I write - smooth, energized, well paced prose leaning on the darker side of literary perfection. Egh - egh - caugh - gag! Scuse me - choked.
Seriously, I want to get a taste of your writing for a change. So here's the deal: If you are on Twitter, all you have to do is write a series of Tweets that when put together make a short-short-story. If you're not a Tweeter, a "tweet" is a string of words no longer than 140 characters total; including spaces and punctuation. The stories should be no less than 3 Tweets and no more than 5 Tweets. All stories must have a Christmas theme - beginnning, end, and must maintain a pg-13 rating; some of my creative writing students follow me. They can be scary, funny, suspenseful or inspirational. And for all you poets out there, they can be in poetic format as well. Next, paste them in the comments section below. It's that easy.
Doesn't that sound like fun?
So what's the Prize, you ask? I hope it's worth the trouble, but I'm offering a A FREE BOOK COVER DESIGN for your next or in process book (ebook or otherwise) - front cover only; I don't do splines and backs. The picture to the right is an example of my work and is the cover of one of my forthcoming novels. Not writing a book? Not interested in a cover? How about a FREE COPY OF THE RUMBLIN', my suspense short-story? Better yet, how about both? Okay. Deal.
Here's an example of what I'm looking for. I posted this a few days ago on Twitter to kind of get the feel for it. It's not a Christmas story, but you'll get the idea....
The War of the Words by Jeff Bennington
- Words splash in my eyes like raindrops, dripping, wetting my lips. I taste them. I speak to them and they come to life, roaring back at me.
- Big words, little words, scurry about with their claws out, chasing me into a corner. They screech and cry out to me...take me, take me!
- I laugh at the evil little letters with ax in hand. Do as I say, or I'll hack your apostrophe off! Do you hear me, you little bastards?
- The little things scuttle into corners and cower in fear. One by one they recede into the crevices, slithering back into their dark-hell.
- They'll be back. I'll wait - sitting here with my ax.
So there you have it. The Writing Bomb's first contest with tangible giveaways worth over $100! If you have any questions, post them. If I'm unclear about something, let me know. If you want to bribe me - feel free! Good luck and may the best writer win!
Contest ends Christmas Day - December 25th.
Oh, and by the way, I get to pick the winner, but I'll probably pick it according to popular vote; that is if any one dares to comment. And I'm very sensitive, so if no one enters, I will feel very bad about myself and probably get an early start on my winter depression, and you don't want to do that to me - do you? BOOM!
